Excessive alcohol, yes. 1-3 glasses per day, probably not. 1-2 glasses is actually supposed to be GOOD for you...

1-3 joints per day would get to you after a while I think...based on personal observations of people I have known.

MJ is not addictive, that is correct. But if you voluntarily do it frequently and long enough, it will still affect you.

Actually, the most recent studies have shown that MJ does not kill brain cells (unlike alcohol). The original experiment that was done that "proved" MJ had a negative, irreverisble, long term affect has since been refuted. Not unlike a lot of the "studies" that indicate that MJ was extremely dangerous in the past (when first made illegeal it was considered fact that MJ caused people to become violent, that was a fabrication). Usually in chronic users you can suffer short-term memory loss, however after about 6 weeks of not using MJ one's short-term memory returns to normal. Most States are decriminalizing the drug for those very reasons.

Excessive alcohol is all relative to the person, moderate use is usually considered 2 drinks a day for men, and 1 drink a day for women. Just like some are more prone to becoming addicted to alcohol.

Anyway to get back to the main topic, I don't think that if they find evidence of MJ use in a hair sample that you will be in much trouble or risk not getting a job. Further, if you do get terminated you can always file a lawsuit about it. Might as well attempt, people have been successful, all things considered (and the legality of such tests are being debated).

Going below 500' isn't illegal - as long as it is briefed IAW the rules. Are you not allowed below 500' in the AF at any time?

Now about illegal drug use - I'm pretty hard on this. I see the drug pops all the time in the military and it kills me. I don't know how it is viewed out in civilian aviation but I imagine that it is not condoned like you said. I'm sure that there are people who have used illegal substances in their history that have gotten past that time in their lives and have gone on to serve professionally in a variety of jobs; but I have to agree with T38 Phlyer on that point. I don't want to share my cockpit with anyone who is currently using illegal drugs - OR - flying if breaking the 8 or 12 hour rule.

USMCFLYR

Fatties go down to 300' and there are some that get lower. Back to the point, I have serious trouble seeing how anyone could get as low as that shot, and be legal. I know Navy/MC rules are somewhat more lax than AF, but I'm not buying even you guys can do that.

And to UAL, thanks for one of the funnier posts I've read in a while, I'm still not completely sure if that was serious or not. If you won't fly with anyone who ever smoked dope, who exactly do you fly with? At my Academy interview I stated early that I'd experimented with drugs in high school, told no problem. And while many of my Academy buds were pretty straight arrow guys and could believably say they had smoked pot, on the ROTC side....

So you either fly a lot of single seat non-formation, or you fly with a lot of liars.

The vast majority of aviation professionals share your view regarding drugs and safety-sensitive jobs. There a few cowboys in GA who might have a different attitude, but 121 drug testing is much like the military...eventually you'll get caught, and fired. The debate here was about tolerance in the civilian world in general.

A little experimenting in junior high had no effect at all on my academy or career opportunities...except to disqualify me from COMMO jobs post-Walker. Actually, being a COMMO would be more hazardous to your career than smoking a joint in HS.

NOTE: For the young folks...if you think you want to be a pilot or military officer, I suggest that you avoid doing anything illegal at all. While self-disclosing minor past drug use on a background check will not disqualify you, if you actually get CAUGHT and end up with a criminal record, that is harder to work around. Not worth the hassle.

Also if you get caught SELLING a controlled substance, even one joint, you are probably permanently hosed as far as military and airlines are concerned.

The only guys in the US I know of that still fly F-4s are the Germans at Holloman. Those guys are nuts! I watched those guys do multiple simulated gun passes on an MC-130 at 100 feet agl (legal manuever) a while back. Two different missions and no where near briefed. I don't think the HATR made it too far.

Sticks and stones...

hate to bring back an old thread buuuuuut.......whats the deal with getting tested for nicotine at Alaska? Not allowed to smoke cigs up there in the cold?

I dont smoke, but am curious what the deal is with that.

[quote=UAL T38 Phlyer;375425]Sorry about misquoting 12 hours, I was thinking military (where it is 12 hours).

No, I have never smoked weed. Ever. Nor have I driven drunk, had sex with a minor, or shoplifted.


Never had sex with a minor? What about when you were 16? What about a coal minor?